WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Westchester County residents were stunned by the news of a Malaysian airliner that the United State has said was shot down over the Russian-Ukraine border Thursday.

According to reports, the Boeing 777 was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with 280 passengers and 15 crew. There have been reports that 23 Americans were on the flight.

No one has taken responsibility for the plane being shot down.

Robert Hare, standing outside Main Street Deli in Ossining, said it was a horrendous story. He said it was debatable if the US government should get involved.

"It could be a hornet's nest," Hare said.

Richard Banach of Hastings-on-Hudson said he thought the plane crash was a mistake made by the Russians.

"I know of no other explanation," Banach said. "This is assuming that the facts are correct of it being a shoot down. Mistakes happen all the time in war zones. ... Supposedly we made such a mistake with Iranian airliner years ago.

"Mistakes happen. (It's) very sad about the loss of life, but I don't think this will escalate at all."

Victoria Sullivan of Yonkers said she couldn't comment as to whether the U.S. should intervene in Russia, should Russia wind up being responsible.

"I would, however, be curious to see the results of an internal investigation of Malaysia Airlines," she said.

At Keenan House in Ossining, patrons were watching CNN's coverage of the crash.

Watkins said she hoped they would find out who was responsible for shooting the plane down.

Ali Sahin, also at Keenan House in Ossining, noted that Malaysian Airlines was once again involved in a plane crash, having lost a plane over the Indian Ocean in the spring.

"There are hundreds of airlines and they have two incidents in four months?" Sahin said. "What's wrong with them?"

Sahin was critical of how Malaysian Airlines was never able to find the plane.

"It's not the 1950s," Sahin said. "All of this technology in 2014 and they can't find it."

Kevin Maldonado, waiting for a train at the Mount Vernon West train station, said he and co-workers monitored the developments during the day.

"We were all watching from our computers at work, I really don't know what to think," he said. "I want to wait to hold judgement until we know more, but it doesn't look great right now. I just hope it doesn't escalate and we don't get involved at all."